von leesen



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. VON LEESEN. TIME REGISTER FOR BILLIARDS.

Patented Jan. 15, 1895.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 24 H. VON LEESEN.

TIME REGISTER FOR BILLIARDS.

No. 532,568. Patented Jan. 15, 1895.

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w I I 3 SheetsSheet 3.

N E S E E L N O V H (No Model.)

TIME REGISTER FOR BILLIARDSK No. 532,568. Patented Jan. 15, 1895.

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HEINRICH VON LEESEN, OF VOSSKATHE, NEAR ITZEHOE, GERMANY.

TIME-REGISTER FOR BILLIARDS.

EPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,568, dated January15, 1895.

Application filed May 1, 1893. Serial No. 472,550. (N0 model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEINRICH VON Lnnsnn, of Vosskathe, near Itzehoe, inthe Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Time-Registers for Billiards, of which the following isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for indicating thetime taken in playing the game of billiards and the charge payabletherefor, and consists of an apparatus for containing billiard balls andfor indicating the time during which such balls are absent from thecontainer, whereby a record is obtained of the time during which suchballs are in play without the services of an attendant being required.

In the drawings hereto anneXed':-Figure 1 shows a front elevation of theapparatus. Fig. 2 is a back view of same, the back of the case havingbeen taken off, in order to afford a clear view of the arrangement ofthe inner mechanism. Fig. 3 is a front view of the essential parts ofthe mechanism, fitted to the back plate A. Fig. is a side view of thesame considerably enlarged.

The apparatus principally consists of a clock-work provided with abalance wheel escapement. The works are contained in a wooden case, uponwhich there are three cups a, band 0, which serve for holding thebilliard balls. If the balls are in their cups, the weight of the ballwhich is in cup Z) stops the clockwork. This stoppage of the clockworkis brought about in the following manner: In the cup Z) (Figs. 1 and 2)there is a movable plate d. If a ball is put into the cup, it pressesthe plate cZ down to the bottom of the cup by means of its weight. Whenthe plate cZ moves downward, the bar cZ pushes the lever e, which isattached to it by means of a pin joint, and which has its fulcrum in thescrewfwhich is made fast to the top of the case, downward, and theopposite end of the lever 6 moves upward and raises the bar g. The bar gat its lower end has a hook 2', which, upon the said bar moving upwardengages with the counter balance weight end of the clockwork escapementlever h, which causes the clock to stop. If the plate (Z is relieved ofthe weight on it by the ball being removed, it is again pushed up wardby a spiral spring Z0. At the same time the escapement lever is releasedby the hook "Z (Figs. 1 and 2) and the clock again starts going.

The face (Fig. 1) of the charge diala; bears a number of numerals whichindicate the prices payable for the hire of a billiard table and ballsfor various periods.

In the smaller circle of numerals are indicated the hours, 1 to 12. Asthe charge for the use of a billiard table and balls per hour varies inevery establishment, the charge dial as is so arranged that it can beexchanged for others.

In Fig. 2 are shown the internal numeral disks Z and m, which turn onthe axes Z and m and which are not visible on the outside of theapparatus. The disk Z is, at its circumference, provided with ratchetteeth, and on its surface With a number of numerals indicating thecharge for the use of the billiard table. A pawl n gears into the teethof the disk Z. This pawl is attached to the lower end of the fixedpointer 02, and is kept in gear with the disk Z by means of a spring,for the purpose of keeping the disk Z from going back. The ratchet wheelg, is fixed to the shaft Z by means of a pin. When the shaft Z turns,the teeth of the ratchet wheel, (1 gear with the pawl 0' attached to thedisk Z, and thereby cause the disk to turn with the shaft. The largeroutside pointer indicating the charge, and the disk Z, move forward fromnumber to number with an intermittent motion, whereas the small hand,showing the time, moves continuously while the clock is working.

The mechanism which causes the periodical advance of the large hand aswell as of the disk Z, consists of the following parts: On the shaft Z",which is bored hollow from end to end, and through which the shaft Zpasses, the disk a is loosely fitted and bears upon same with gentlefriction, which is provided by the tripod spring 1) held by thescrew-nut a. The shaft Z is driven continuously as long as the balls areremoved from the receptaele, by any suitable clock mechanism, whichcauses the small hand to travel over the small dial at the proper rateto indicate the time the balls are in use, and inits movement, the

said shaft carries with it, the disk a, due to the frictional contactbefore referred to. On the disk u the cam u is arranged. The function ofthis cam is to disengage the spring arm 2 (which, as well as the pinionwheel 2 is firmly fixed on the shaft Z when such arm lays itself behindone of the teeth of the fixed rack 20. The disk a, which, as alreadymentioned is carried loosely 011 the shaft Z, with gentle friction,turns round with this shaft, and the cam 10' is pushed in under thespring arm 2, and gradually raises it so high that it can slip over thetooth against which it was hitherto lying, and then it lays itselfagainst the next tooth. This is repeated as long as the clock is going.The advance of the springs and the pinion wheel 2 is brought about bythe wheelp, and as the pinion wheel 5 and the spring arm ,2 are firmlyfitted to the shaft Z the large pointer as well as the disk Z advancesynchronously therewith. The wheel 19 is driven by means of the spring8. lVhen the spring arm 2 is lifted by the cam 'u/ over the point of thetooth which prevents it from advancing, it advances by one tooth, but byone tooth only, as the arm z, being no longer lifted by the cam it hasgone back into its original position on account of its elasticity. Bymeans of the tooth wheel 0 which turns on the fixed shaft 0, motion issuitably transmitted to the disk m. The wheel 0 gears with the wheel Zwhich is connected to the disk Z by means of the collar Z, and motion istransmitted to the disk m, by the wheel 072 (connected with the disk atby means of the collar on) gearing with the wheel 0. The wheel 0 isnecessary here, because the disks Z and on do not turn at the samespeed.

After the play is completed and when the hands have advanced until theyhave reached their final position, it is necessary to bring the hands ofthe clock back again into their original position. This final positionis at the figure 75, as regards the large hand, and at 12 for the smallhand. lVhen the hands are in their former position, the disks Z and mhave also resumed their former position. The pinion wheel a fitted onshaft Z and connected with spring a, turns back the tooth wheel p by somuch as it has previously advanced, when the shaft .Z is moved backwardby means of the hands being turned back. As the spring 5 is hooked ontothe arbor of the wheel 19 (Fig. 3), the spring is rewound when the wheelis turned back. The spring ,2, firmly connected with the pinion wheel 2must also join in the backward movement. In doing so it slides over theoblique faces of the teeth of the rim w, and becomes hooked behind thecam 11.", and draws the disk u back with it. On this account it isnecessary to arrange the disk u with gentle friction on shaft Z inoperation, before commencing to play, the balls are removed fromtheircups and the clockwork is released. The disk to which is disk l,which is coupled with the shaft by means of the ratchet wheel q, and thepawl r, is also moved on. After finishing playing the balls are replacedin their cups, whereby the clock is stopped, and shows at a glance howlong the game has lasted, and what is to pay for the hire of the ballsand table. lVhen this has been done the hands are turned back into theiroriginal position.

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. A register for billiards comprising a ball receptacle, a timeindicator operating continuously, while the balls are in use, a chargeindicating mechanism operated step by step by said clock mechanism, andconnections whereby the placing of the ball in the receptacle will stopthe said clock mechanism substantially as described.

2. A register for billiards comprising a ball receptacle, a timeindicating hand on the front of the register, driven continuously whilethe balls are in use, a charge indicator at the front and rear of theregister, having step by step movement controlled by said timeindicating mechanism, and connections whereby the weight of the ball inits receptacle will stop said indicating mechanism substantially asdescribed.

3. A billiard register comprising a ball receptacle, a time indicatingmechanism released by the removal of the ball from said receptacle, acharge indicating mechanism held normally against movement, means fordriving said charge mechanism, and connections from the time mechanismfor releasing the charge mechanism and permitting it to be rotated stepby step, substantially as described.

4. In a billiard register, a casing having a series of cup shapedreceptacles for the balls,

a rod projecting up into one of said receptacles under spring tensionand adapted to be depressed by the weight of the ball, time and chargeindicating mechanism, and connections from the said rod whereby theremoval of the ball will start said mechanism and replacing the ballwill stop the movement thereof, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

HEINRICH VON LEESEN. "Witnesses:

PAUL FISCHER, HEINRICH GLUNIsKY.

